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C. E. RICHARDSON.

r APPARATUSFOR FORMING SHEET 'METAL ARTICLES.v

No. 541,456. Patented June 25, 1895.

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C. E. RICHARDSON. I

' APPARATUS FOR FORMING SHEET METAL ARTICLES. I

No. 541,455. Patented June 25, 1895.

3y faul (No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 3. C. E. RICHARDSON.

APPARATUS EOE EOEMING SHEET METAL AETIGLES. n No. 541,456. Patented June25,1895.

panels or depressions therein.

A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. RICHARDSON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO TIIEFIRE-PROOF DOOR COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FORFORMING SH EET-METAL ARTICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 541,456, dated June 25,1895. Application sied December 4,1894. saainasonss. (naman.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern I Be it knownthat 1, CHARLES E. RICHARD-`SON, of the'city of Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, State ofMinnesota, have invented a certain new and Improved Apparatus forForming Sheet-Metal Articles, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved apparatus forforming sheetmetal articles, particularly the sheet metal coverings offire-proof doors, such as shown in my Patent No. 443,541, grantedDecember 30, 1890. 1

The invention consists in a press provided with male and female dies andwith means for clamping the edge of a sheetof metal, and graduallyincreasing the pressure thereon as the pressure is increased upon thecentral portion of the sheet in the act of forming the The inventionconsists further in details of construction hereinafter described andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming part of this speci-v cation, Figure 1 is atransverse vertical seci tion of a press constructed in accordance withmy invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal plan section of the same on linea'@c of Fig. 1. Fig.-

3 is a plan view of the lower platen with the die-plate resting thereon.Fig. et is a partial vertical section of the lower platen, showing thepockets and the spring mechanism arranged therein. i

In the drawings, 2 represents the standards of the press, 5 the bottomor foundationthere-l of, and 7 the top or cross-pieces to which issecured the upper or stationary platen 9. Upon this platen is secured bybolts or other snitable means a plate 11 constituting the female die ofthe press, and having a series of de= pressions therein of thesize andsh'ape of those that are to be formed in the sheet of metal to beoperated upon. This plate is removable and other plates of the same ordifferent size and having anydesired number,

shape and arrangement of depressions in them may be substitutedtherefor.

13 represents thel lower or movable platen and this is preferablysecured'to suitable flanges arranged on the cylinders 15,suitable pipesbeing connected to said cylinders so that' said flanges and platen maybe moved by hydraulic or steam pressure. The male die plate 17 providedwith a series of elevations 19 is arranged to be bolted or otherwisesecured upon said lower platen 13. This die plate is made to correspondand the projections thereon also correspond to the female die with whichit is used. The die plate 17 does not extend the full length or width ofthe lower platen 13, and a follower 21 of the same thickness as saidlower or male dieplate is arranged outside of said die plate -upon saidlower platen. The upper dieplate inay be4 the full length or width ofthe upper4 platen, or it may be of less length and width, as shown inFig. 1.

The lower platen is provided all around its edges with a series ofjlaterally openi ng pockets 25, extending into said platen, and slots27vr provided in the upper surface of said platen extending into saidpocket. Arranged in each of said pockets is a spring or springs 29, thelower end of said springs resting upon a Washer 31 that is secured upona threadedY bolt 33, the head of said bolt resting upon the bottoni ofsaid pocket. Upon the upper ends of said springs and preferably securedthereto is a cap or washer 3 5 through which extends a threaded pin orbolt 37, the upper end of said pin extending through the slot 27 abovethe surface of the platen. The upper end of said pin is made polygonaland by applying the wrench thereto and also to the head of the bolt thepin maybe raised or lowered as desired, turning in said washer. TheWashers 31 and 35 are so connected to the ends of the springs that thepin 27 may be raised or lowered without turning the washers. Thefollower plate 21 rests upon the upper ends of the pins 37, and saidfollower is preferably made in the shape of a rectangular frame, asshowin in Fig. 2. When it is desired to use a narrower or shorterdie-plate the springs are moved inward in the pockets 25, the pins 37sliding inthe slots 27 and a smaller follower is placed upon said pins.The upper end ot' said pin is made square, and by applying awrenchthereto and also to the head of the pin through the pocket in theside of the lower platen, said pin may be raised or lowered screwing insaid washer. The reference nu- IOO meral 25 is shown in Fig. Thefollower 2l rests upon the upper ends of the pins37 and said follower ispreferably made in the shape of a rectangular frame as shown in Fig. 3.When it is' desired to usea narrower or shorter die-plate the springsare moved i11- ward in the pockets 25, the pins 37 sliding in the slots27 and a smaller follower is placed upon said pins.

In using the machine a plate of metal, such as steel, or other suitablematerial, is placed upon the lower platen of the press with its edgesresting upon the follower 2l, suitable dies having been applied to thepress corresponding to the design that it is desired to press or form inthe sheet of metal. In some instances it will be desired to form thecovering for a panel door such as that shown in my patent hereinbeforereferred to, in which case the male and female dies will have the properdepressions and elevations to form a series of panels of the desiredform for each side of the door. Upon applying power to the press thelower platen is raised and the edges of the sheet of metal are clampedwith a yielding pressure between the follower and the upperplaten.Afurthermovementincreases the pressure upon the plate and the male diestriking upon the plate forces the central portion into the depressionin the female die. As the springs are compressed the pressure exerted bythe follower becomes greater and greater until finally the springs aresufficiently depressed so that the follower also rests upon the face ofthe platen, at which time the plunger will have completed its movementand the male die will have been brought into eorresponde-nce with thefemale die. The plate is so firmly clamped between the follower and theupper platen that no inward movement thereof is permitted, and hence thedepressions are formed in the plate by drawing or pressing the metal andnot by moving it inward from its edges. The edges of the plates, that isthose parts between thefollower and the upper platen, remain perfectlysmooth and do not move at all during the pressing opera tion.

By this described method and means of stamping or forming the articles,I am enabled to provide metal coverings for doors of any size, havingany desired number of panels or other designs formed therein, while thepart of the metal not pressed into the panel remains perfectly smooth.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination, with a stationary platen, themovable platen, dies fixed upon said platens and arranged to cooperatewith each other, and a spring supported follower surrounding the dieplate upon said movable platen and arranged to clamp a sheet of metal ator near its edges between said follower and the stationary platen with`a yielding pressure, before the dies begin to press the metal, and thesprings supporting said follower being laterally adjustable,substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the fixed and movable platen, the dies arrangedthereon, of the spring supported follower surrounding the die upon saidmovable platen, said movable platen being adapted to support followersof different dimensions, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the stationary platen, the die arrangedthereon, thc movable platen the die arranged thereon, said movableplaten being provided with a series of pockets arranged in its edge,laterally adjustable springs arranged in said pockets, and a followersupported upon said springs and surrounding the die upon said movableplaten, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the stationary platen,the die arranged thereon,the movable platen, the die arranged thereon said movable platen beingprovided with a series of pockets, and with a series of slots in itsupper surface communicating with said pockets, springs arranged in saidpockets, pins supported by said springs and `extending through saidslots, and a follower supported upon said pins.

5. The combination, with the stationary platen, the die supportedthereon, the movable platen, the die supported thereon, said movableplaten being provided with a series of pins, a series of pockets in itsouter edge, springs arranged in said pockets, said pins supported bysaid springs and extending through slots in the upper surface of saidplaten, means for adjusting the tension of said springs, means forpermitting the adjustment of said pins, and asuitable followersurrounding the die upon said movable platen and supported upon saidpins, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day ofNovember, A. I).

CHARLES E. RICHARDSON.

In presence of- A. C. PAUL, M. E. GooLnY.

IIO

